Brookhaven’s top elected official defended the need forexpansion Thursday as the city’s annexation trial moved through itssecond day.

“I think this is necessary,” said Mayor Bill Godbold while beingquestioned about an approximately 16-square mile annexation thatwould more than triple the city’s current size.

Under cross examination from objectors’ attorney Jerry Evans,Godbold was asked about an earlier unsuccessful annexation effortthat would have enlarged the city to township size, or 36-squaremiles. The mayor said that annexation, like the current smallerone, was needed to handle projected growth.

“Once you go through an expansion, you don’t want to have to gothrough one again,” the mayor said.

Evans also asked why the city didn’t seek to annex twoindustrial park industries, the Wal-Mart Distribution Center andMcLane Southern, when they located there years ago. A portion ofMcLane is now inside the city but the rest of it and thedistribution center are outside the city and within the proposedannexation area.

“We weren’t ready for a full-scale annexation. Now we are,”Godbold responded.

Godbold also discussed plans for providing city services to theannexation area. He said bond issues and grants would be used forwater and sewer projects.

A $14 million bond issue for new water and sewer lines wouldmean a two-mill tax increase over two years, Godbold said. Heestimated it would take about two and a half years to install thenew water lines.

Grants would be sought to assist with elevated water tanksneeded as part of the annexation. The mayor acknowledged theproject would be stopped if the grants don’t come.

Whispers of discontent rippled through an audience of objectorsas Godbold discussed the city’s plans for once-a-week garbage pickup in the annexation area. Current city residents receivetwice-a-week service.

When questioned about the mayor’s comments during a trial break,annexation attorney Jerry Mills and City Attorney Joe Fernaldreferred to a county contract with BFI for once-a-week service.

The attorneys said that contract had to be honored. The city’splans for privatization of garbage services were alsomentioned.

On the witness stand, Godbold blamed the state legislature forchanging the law to limit the amount of general fund money thatcould be used for solid waste services and to require the operationbe self-supporting.

Evans suggested the problem could be solved by raising rates.Godbold, though, said officials would be “run off” if they did.

“We don’t want to charge the people any more than they canstand,” Godbold said. “That’s our main concern.”

In another area of testimony, Godbold mistakenly touted passageof city ordinances that would govern burning and hunting if theannexation is approved. The board of aldermen Tuesday took theordinances under advisement and could approve them at the nextboard meeting.

“I see no other reason than to do them right,” Godbold saidabout allowing some large landowners to continue to hunt on theirproperty.

In response to Evans’ questions about the new ordinances,Godbold denied an implication that they were done to appease someobjectors. The mayor acknowledged they could be rescinded just asquickly as they were enacted, but he said that would nothappen.

“If we do it, come back and file suit on me for breach ofpromise,” Godbold said.

Regarding street paving in the annexation area, Godbold said thecity did not have a plan regarding costs or mileage. He referredspecific questions about city plans to engineers or departmentheads.

“We’ll do what we can do and that’s it. Every year, we’ll do alittle more,” Godbold said.

Brookhaven Police Chief Pap Henderson and Recreation DepartmentDirector Terry Reid were also among the city’s witnessesThursday.

Henderson reviewed stop sign and traffic speed surveys conductedin the annexation area by the police department prior to the trial.The chief also discussed plans to hire nine additional policeofficers to handle the expanded city.

Henderson said the survey data, which showed varying percentagesof people speeding or not completely stopping at stop signs, wasevidence of the need for municipal level police services in theannexation area.

The chief also touted the benefits of higher law enforcementvisibility, which is now not possible due to the sheriff’sdepartment’s limited manpower, in controlling crime in theannexation area. Henderson added that the city taking over thelarger area would allow the sheriff’s department to do a better jobin its reduced coverage area.

During his testimony, Reid talked about the city serving manycounty residents who already participate in recreation departmentactivities. Because of that, he said his department could handlethe annexation.

In financial planning, $9,000 has been anticipated to purchase10 acres of land for play fields in the annexation area. Reid saidthe exact location for the fields has not been determined, but theywould likely be in the southwestern portion of the expansionarea.

“There’s nothing down there,” Reid said.

Following Reid, the annexation trial recessed for the weekend.Due to scheduling conflicts and the Veterans Day holiday Tuesday,the trial is expected to resume Wednesday with City Engineer CarlRay Furr on the witness stand.